NFL: Chris Jones elusive to both Patriots and blockers

FOXBORO — The Patriots were tracking Bowling Green defensive tackle Chris Jones as the third and final day of the NFL Draft was winding down in April.

The only problem was they had a massive wait between podium visits, having no picks in the fifth and sixth rounds, courtesy of regrettable trades that netted them the disappointing duo of Albert Haynesworth and Chad Johnson.

The Texans picked Jones in the sixth round with the 198th selection, making him the 15th of 19 defensive tackles drafted. It would be another 28 picks before the Patriots were on the clock.

But the Texans released Jones in the final round of roster cuts Aug. 31. The Patriots immediately put in a waiver claim, but lost out to the Buccaneers due to their better record the previous season.

The Bucs parted with Jones 10 days later, and finally, the Patriots had their man.

"I just think he was a good player in college," coach Bill Belichick said Friday. "He's got good size, he's athletic, he's got some quickness, he's a smart player, he's got a good motor, plays hard."

The Patriots' long-term persistence paid off in short order.

After being inactive for his first two games in New England, Jones has played in the last three due to injuries to starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly.

He was in for about a quarter of the defensive snaps against the Atlanta Falcons and half the snaps against the Cincinnati Bengals before going the distance in a 30-27 win over the New Orleans Saints last weekend.

Jones is expected to join fellow rookie defensive tackle Joe Vellano in the starting lineup Sunday when the Patriots visit the Jets. His approach, which has served him well, is to be himself.

"Vince and TK are great players," Jones said. "I just try to do what I can. Just go in there and play hard."

It wasn't always that way.

Whether it was in the classroom or on the field, Jones preferred to take it easy up until high school. He was more concerned with having a good time with his buddies rather than applying himself in scholastics and sports.

That made Jones just like many young teens. But then his family moved from Michigan to Indiana prior to his freshman year, and due to a combination of internal motivation and external encouragement from his parents, a profound change took place.

Jones started getting in the books and getting after it in the weight room, improving his smarts, strength and speed.

"I understood that every opportunity I miss is an opportunity lost," he said. "I'll never get it back and never be able to make myself better that day."

A two-way lineman for Brownsburg High just outside Indianapolis, Jones became an all-state selection as a senior. He received scholarship offers from Ball State, Illinois State, Toledo and Bowling Green, where he would matriculate and major in exercise science.

Jones played in all 50 games over four seasons for the Falcons, starting the last 44, and was twice voted captain by his teammates.

He was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a third-team All-American as a senior after finishing third in the nation with 12½ sacks.

Jones had 28 sacks in his college career. That's an impressive total for any player, and especially an interior lineman, which drew the attention of the pro scouts.

"I was definitely blessed and fortunate to be able to get in there," he said of his productive forays into the pocket. "I had a lot of great coaching in college, and it was just a lot of hard work."

Jones is listed at 6-foot-1 and 309 pounds, making him — like Vellano — undersized for an NFL defensive tackle. He compensates with quick feet, sound technique, a thorough grasp of the scouting reports, and 16 cylinders that are always pumping.

Jones has nine tackles in three games. The most impressive came midway through the third quarter against the Saints when he spun out and quickly tracked down elusive running back Darren Sproles in the open field on a third-down pass play, forcing a punt.

And, in trademark fashion, he has 1½ sacks. That's one less than the combined total of Wilfork and Kelly, who have made nine starts between them.

Jones has had to do it all without the benefit of having spent the summer in New England studying the Patriots' playbook and integrating himself into the system. He has been able to close the gap quickly, making a positive impression on the guy whose opinion matters most around here.

"I would say in a short amount of time, he's become a pretty dependable guy for us," Belichick said.

"When we call a defense, make a call, I think we all — players, coaches — have a pretty good confidence level that he's going to do the right thing because he's done it, and he's picked it up, and he doesn't make the same mistake twice. He's a hard-working kid that has some skills."

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